Postcard arrives 22 years late

The greeting was sent to Wendy Bosworth by her niece Joanne Bosworth, who was holidaying on the island of Nisyros in 1987.

It dropped on her mat in Blackburn Avenue, Claregate, slightly damaged and in a sealed bag.

The 64-year-old retired book-keeper said: "The postcard said about how the island was not affected by tourism and how the sea was beautiful and the people were very friendly.

"We had a joke when I spoke to Joanne and she said 'I wondered why you never said thank you'. She was amazed. Whenever she went away she used to send a postcard but I never expected one so I didn't think about it at the time." Joanne is now aged 42 and an Oxford graduate who has also completed a doctorate in African studies has moved from Codsall to Uganda, where she works for the British Government and has recently married.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Jaquie Stenson said: "We would like to apologise for the delay. It's a bit of a mystery I'm afraid as we don't track items of ordinary mail."